Toy bagpipe



March 6, 1956 F. H. MAGNUS TOY BAGPIPE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 18. 1952 lNVENTOR #7W/V /7 MAM/a5 F. H. MAGNUS TOY BAGPIPE March 6, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1952 lNvENToR /L/v/v /z MMA/as III/II n n rl Il la l BY ,6MM/f7 u QL ited States Patent W' 'roy morren Finn Ht Magnus, Essex Fails, N. J., assigner to Magnus Harmonica Qorporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Appiication February 13, 1952, Serial No. 272,15@

1G Claims. (Cl. 34-375) The present invention relates to a toy bagpipe.

An object of the present invention is to provide a toy musical instrument which resembles a bagpipe. Another object of the invention is to provide operating or sound producing components for a toy bagpipe that may be made in a small size. rThis permits the toy bagpipe to be made smaller than a regular bagpipe with its components being made to a scale in keeping therewith. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying dr wings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toy bagpipe embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the drone valve for the bagpipe illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section view taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a section view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view from the top of a flute for the bagpipe illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a section view taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section View taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5 and is drawn to an enlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a section View taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 5 and is drawn to an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section View of a portion of the blow-pipe for the bagpipe illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Fig. l illustrates a toy bagpipe embodying the invention which has an inliatable bag The bag 1 may be made of sheet plastic material, such as vinyl nlm, which is folded and sealed at the edges in such a way that it will be airtight and capable of holding air when inflated. A blow-pipe 2 communieating with an inlet in the bag is provided for iniiating the bag and maintaining a supply of air therein. A drone unit 3 and a chanter (or luate) 4 communicates with outlets in the bag and are operated by air supplied from the bag.

The blow-pipe 2 consists of an elongated hollow or tubular member which may be made of a suitable plastic material. The blow-pipe has a mouthpiece at the outer end thereof and the inner end thereof communicates with the interior of the bag. As shown in Fig. 9, the surface of the inner end of the blow-pipe 2 contacts with the exterior surface of the bag and has a circular rib 5 extending therefrom. The rib S iits into a groove 6 in the surface of an annular member 7 located inside of the bag 1. When these parts are assembled, the sides of bag 1 surrounding an opening or inlet in the bag are clamped between the rib 5 at the end of the blow-pipe and the grooved surface of the annular member 7. These parts are preferably held together and sealed by applying a solvent or adhesive to opposite sides of the bag and to the opposing surfaces of the blow-pipe and the annular member.

Patented Mar. 6, 1956 A ball check valve 8 is located between the mouthpiece of the blow-pipe and the interior of the bag and is arranged to prevent air from being forced back into the mouth of the player when the bag is inflated. The ball check valve S includes a ball 8a that is tted into an enlarged opening at the inner end of the blow-pipe. A sloping shoulder 8b is provided in the bore of the blowpipe and forms a seat with which the ball 8a engages when forced upwardly by air pressure from the bag. Lugs 9 project upwardly from the annular members 7 into the enlarged end of the blow-pipe with the ends thereof being spaced from the shoulder 3b a distance suihcient to permit movement of the ball away from the seat. The lugs 9 serve to retain the ball in place. Thus, when air under pressure greater than the pressure in the bag is blown into the blow-pipe, the ball is forced downwardly and this permits air to enter the bag under such conditions.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the drone unit 3 includes a holder or plate 11 which supports a series of drone pipes i2 and a plate 13. The holder 11 is located on the outside of the bag i and extends over an outlet opening therein with the lower surface thereof contacting with the outer surface of the bag. The lower surface of the holder has a rib 14 extending downwardly therefrom. The rib 14 lits into a groove l5 in the upper face of the plate 13. The plate 13 is located on the inside of the bag in opposing relation to the holder and its upper face contacts with the inner surface of the bag so the edges of the bag at the outlet opening are clamped between the holder and the plate by engagement of the rib 14 in groove 1S. A solvent may also be applied to the opposing surfaces of these parts to insure a seal at this point. Pins ie are also provided on the upper surface of the plate 13 and the pins 16 t into openings Lia in the lower face of the drone holder 1l to hold these parts together and to insure proper alignment of them when they are assembled.

The drone holder l1 has a series of spaced sockets 1'7 at the top thereof. The sockets i7 are shaped to receive the lower ends of the drone pipes 12. in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, drone pipes l2 are dummies and do not function except as a matter of appearance. Pennants 13 and an extension 19 may be attached to the tops of the drone pipes 12, as shown in Fig. l.

As shown best in `Figs. 3 and 4, the lower face of the drone holder iii has an opening 2G therein which is positioned above an opening 13a in the plate i3. The openings Zii and 13a communicate with a reed 2S on a reed plate 21 secured to the lower face of the plate i3. A slide valve or control member 22 is slidably mounted in a slot 23 in the holder above the opening 2i) and the control member 22 has an opening 2d therein which may be moved into and out of alignment with the openings 2b and 13a in the holder and the plate so as to control the escape of air through these openings and the vibration of the reed 25 thereby.

The reed plate 21 is secured to the lower face of the plate 13 with the portion carrying the reed 25 being spaced therefrom. A cover 26, having an opening 27 therein, is secured to and extends over the lower face of the reed plate 21. The reed 25 is preferably of a low pitch so as to provide a constant background note of low pitch when in operation.

As shown best in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, the chanter or fiute 4 consists of an elongated hollow body. The body 28 may be formed in two halves, an upper part 29 and a lower part 3i), and may be made of plastic material with the two halves being joined together by a solvent or an adhesive. rilhe body 28 is open and has a mouthpiece 31 formed at one end thereof. The mouthpiece end 31 of the chanter is inserted in an opening in the bag 1 which is shaped to t over the mouthpiece 31. The sides of the bag surrounding the mouthpiece 31 may be removably held in engagement therewith by a rubber band 32, or the like, as shown in Fig. 6.

The upper half 29 of the body 23 has a series of spaced openings 33 therein. The openings 33 are spaced so that they can be conveniently covered by the lingers of the player to block the passage of air therethrough. Each of the openings 33 communicates with one of a series of sound chambers 34 in the chanter. The chambers 34 are formed by the inner surface of the upper half 29 of the body 2S and an elongated reed plate 35. The reed plate 35 extends lengthwise of the body and contains a series of reed slots 36 with a reed 37 associated with each of the slots. Each of the reed slots 36 and reeds 37 communicates with one of the sound chambers 34 and the opening 33 therein. Thus, the vibration of the reeds 37 may be controlled by opening or closing the respective openings, In the illustrated embodiment, there are eight reeds 37 and openings 33 so that they can all be controlled by the lingers of the player.

The inner surfaces of the body forming the sound chambers i-fi'slope upwardly as indicated 3S. The reed plates 2l and 35 and the reeds 25 and 37 carried thereon may be molded from a suitable plastic material such as polystyrene as is well known in the art.

The lower half 3i) of body 28 forms an air chamber 39 which communicates with the bag and from which the air is supplied for operating the individual reeds. The central portion of the lower half 36 is enlarged somewhat to increase the volume of air that is available to act onV the reeds.

The lower end of the body 28 is closed, and spaced from the closed end of the body opposing projections 40 on the two halves of the body form a partition in the body which provides a second air chamber 41 at the lower end of the body. The opposing faces of the projections 40 are spacedapart to define a narrow slot 42 through which the air chamber 39 communicates with the lower air chamber 41. The slot 42 is less than 1/32 of an inch wide and has an area of approximately .O2 square inch. The slot 42 restricts the liow of air from the air chamber 39 into the lower chamber 4l so that the air in the lower charnber does not reach the same pressure as that in the upper air chamber immediately when air is blown into the chanter. It has been found that in instruments of this type when the volume of air acting on reeds is reduced, as by reducing the diameter and length of the instrument as has been done here, the sudden application of air pressure to the reeds has a tendency to blow the reeds through the reed slots and the reeds may thus become inoperative under such conditions. The provision of the second chamber 41 with the slot 42 communicating with the air chamber 39 overcomes this diiiculty. It, in effect, cushions the action of the air on the reeds and also keeps the air acting on the reeds in movement. This feature makes it possible to reduce the diameter or size of the chanter or flute so that it will be in keeping with the size of the rest of the instrument. Concerning the dimensions given above, it should be noted that in Figs. 5 and 6, which show the instrument in full size, the slet 42 has been shown larger than it actually is for the purposes of clarity in the drawings. It should also be noted that Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are shown at twice their actual size.

It is not essential that the lower end of the body 2S beV closed and if desired, it may be left open. However, increased volume is obtained if it is closed. It is also pointed out that the chanter or flute 4, as described above, may be detached from the bag 1 and it can then be used separately as a liute.

It will be understood that various changes and modiiications may be made in the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the following claims.

I claim: p

Yl. In a toy bagpipe, the combination of an inflatable,

airtight bag formed of sheet plastic material, said bag having an opening therein, a member located on the outside of the bag and having an opening therein communicating with the interior of said bag through the opening in the bag, said member having a surface contacting with the exterior surface of the bag, the surface of said inember having a rib projecting therefrom, a second member located on the inside of the bag and having an opening therein communicating with the opening in the irst member, said second member having a surface contacting with the interior surface of the bag, the surface of said second member having a groove therein shaped to receive the Y rib on said first member with the sheet material forming the bag being clamped between said members and valve means for controlling the passage of air from the bag through said openings.

2. A chanter for a toy bagpipe comprising an elongated hollow body having an opening at one end thereof, said body having a series of spaced openings therein, a reed plate located inside of the body and having a series of spaced vibratable reeds thereon, said reed plate and the body forming a series of sound chambers located on one side of the reed plate, and an air chamber located on the other side of the reed plate, each of said sound chambers communicating with one of the series of openings in the body and with one of the reeds on the reed plate and a partition located at an end of the air chamber remote from the open end of the body, said partition having a narrow slotted opening therein.

3. A flute for use as a chanter in a toy bagpipe which comprises an elongated hollow body having an opening at one end and being closed at the other end, said body having a series of spaced openings therein, a reed plate located inside of the body and having a series of spaced vibratable reeds thereon, said reeds extending lengthwise of the reed plate, said reed plate and the body forming a series of spaced sound chambers and an upper air chamber in the body, said sound chambers being located on one side of the reed plate with each of the sound chambers communicating with one of the series of spaced openings in the body and with one of the spaced reeds on the reed plate, said upper air chamber being located on the other side of the reed plate and communicating with the opening at the end of the body and a partition located inside of the body and spaced from the closed end thereof, said partition forming a lower air chamber at the closed end of the body and a narrow opening therein connecting the upper and lower air chambers, said opening restricting the flow of air between said chambers.

4. A liute for use as a chanter in a toy bagpipe as defined in claim 3 wherein the opening in the partition between the upper and lower air chambers has a total are of not more than approximately .02 of a square inc 5. ln a toy bagpipe, the combination of an inflatable bag formed of sheet plastic material, said bag having opening therein, means for inflating the ba/g, a pair of opposing plates extending over the opening in the bag and on opposite sides of the bag at the edges of the bag defining said opening, one of said plates being located on the outside of the bag and the other being located on the inside of the bag, interengaging members on the opposing surfaces of said plates, said members engaging with and clamping the bag therebetween, said plates having openings therein communicating with the interior of the bag, a reed plate having a vibratable reed supported thereon carried by the inside plates, said reed and reed plate communicating with the opening in said plate and a control member slidably mounted on the outside plates, said control member being movable to open and close the opening in said outside plate.

6. In a toy bagpipe, the combination of an inflatable bag formed of sheet plastic material, said bag having an opening therein, means for inating the bag, a pair of opposing plates extending over the opening in the bag and on opposite sides of the bag at the edges of the bag dening said opening, one of said plates being located on the outside of the bag and the other being located on the inside of the bag, interengaging members on the opposing surfaces of said plates, said members engaging with and clamping the bag therebetween, said plates having openings therein communicating with the interior of the bag, a reed plate having a vibratable reed supported thereon carried by the inside plates, said reed and reed plate communicating with the opening in said plate and a control member slidably mounted on the outside plates, said control member being movable to open and close the opening in said outside plate, said outside plate having a series of sockets in one face thereof for receiving and supporting drone pipes therein.

7. In a toy bagpipe of the type having an inflatable airtight bag having an inlet and a number of outlets therein and a blow-pipe communicating with the interior of the bag through a check valve, the improvement comprising a plurality of sound producing means communieating with the interior of the bag through said outlets; one of said sound producing means including a reed plate having a series of vibratable reeds thereon and digitally operable means for controlling the passage of air from the bag through the individual reeds and a second sound producing means communicating with the interior of the bag through another of said outlets, said second sound producing means including a second reed plate having a vibratable reed thereon and a slide valve for controlling the passage of air from the bag through said second reed plate.

8. In a toy bagpipe of the type having an inflatable airtight bag formed of sheet plastic material, said bag having an opening therein for communication With the interior of the bag, the improvement comprising a member located on the exterior of the bag, said member having an opening therein communicating with the interior of the bag through the opening therein and having a surface contacting with the exterior surface of the bag, said surface having a rib projecting therefrom, a second member located on the interior of the bag, said second member having an opening therein communicating with the opening in the first member and having a surface contacting with the interior surface of the bag in opposing relation to the surface on the first member, the surface of the second member having a groove therein shaped to receive the rib on said rst member with the sheet material of the bag being clamped therebetween and valve means for controlling the passage of air from the interior of the bag through openings in said members.

9. A musical toy comprising an elongated chambered body having an inlet at one end thereof and being closed at the other end thereof, a reed plate located inside of said body, the reed plate and the body forming a sound chamber communicating with an outlet in the body and an air chamber communicating with the inlet, a vibratable reed on said reed plate and communicating with said sound chamber and a partition spaced from the closed end of the body, said partition having a restricted opening therein communicating with the air chamber.

10. A musical toy comprising an elongated chambered body having an inlet and a mouthpiece formed at one end thereof, said body being closed at the other end thereof and having a series of spaced outlets along one side thereof, a reed plate located inside of the body, the reed plate and the body forming a series of sound chambers communicating respectively with the outlets in the body, and an air chamber communicating with the inlet in the body, a series of spaced vibratable reeds carried by the reed plate, each of said reeds communieating with the air chamber and with one of the sound chambers and a partition spaced from the closed end of the body, said partition having a restricted opening therein communicating with the air chamber.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 152,554 Gade June 30, 1874 973,391 Severy Oct. 18, 1910 1,069,200 Starck Aug. 5, 1913 1,498,280 Izold .Tune 17, 1924 1,564,624 Riley Dec. 8, 1925 1,590,754 Hulbert June 29, 1926 2,233,507 Adamson Mar. 4, 1941 2,509,429 Grow May 30, 1950 2,548,004 Duefrcne Apr. l0, 1951 2,590,244 Harbison Mar. 25, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,366 Great Britain Jan. 23, 1908 21,307 Great Britain Sept. 27, 1911 4,933 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1914 136,437 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1919 

